Mary Kom–mDhil Diva

The pride of India, and women everywhere, Mary Kom has done us proud with her bronze at the London Olympics. Find out why Mary Kom is an inspiration to all.

Mary Kom - mDhil DivaWho is Mary Kom?

Olympic medallist, 5 times World Boxing Champion and a mother of two, Mary Kom burst into the boxing scene in 2000 winning the State level championship in Manipur in the same year. From there, there was no looking back and she went on to win five consecutive National Championships from 2000 to 2005. She’s also been awarded with the Khel Ratna, Padma Shree and been branded a youth icon by MTV.

Mary Kom – The underappreciated sports star of India

Mary Kom embarked on her international career in 2001, when she was only 18 years old. She had to settle with silver then but ever since, she’s been on a gold spree winning all sorts of championships like the World Boxing Championship, Venus Box Cup and Asian Women Boxing Championship over a career that spans more than a decade.

When Mary Kom started out, she was an all-round athlete trying to support her family financially. Initially, she hid her interest in sports from her parents but in 2003, her once reluctant father accompanied her to receive the prestigious Arjuna award (highest Indian award conferred to a sportsperson). She was also the first woman to ever receive it.

In 2007, Mary Kom started the MC Mary Kom Boxing Academy for Girls which focused on training young girls in boxing.

Why is Mary Kom a mDhil Diva?

In a cricket crazy country like ours, Mary Kom has emerged as a role model to all non-cricketing sportsmen and sportswomen. If her past laurels weren’t enough, Mary Kom upheld the pride of the nation by winning a Bronze medal at the London Olympics, in the 51-kg category. And did we already mention that the 29-year-old is a mother of twin boys? If that’s not enough to inspire a nation, we don’t know what is!